


the meaning of these flowers

by yoonminoml (fanficloverme96)



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Character Study, Gen, set after part 3 but before part 4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:33:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22615669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fanficloverme96/pseuds/yoonminoml
Summary: It is the first day of spring. As if it's a gift from the heavens above, the flowers are already in full bloom. IDOLiSH7 has a plan for such a day like today.[originally written for the i7 4 seasons' zine]
Comments: 1
Kudos: 35





	the meaning of these flowers

**Author's Note:**

> Vague spoilers until Part 3 of the main story.

Unlike most days, Iori wakes up before the alarm clock. He wonders why he turned it on in the first place - today is the first day of spring, and coincidentally, IDOLiSH7’s first shared day off in a long while. He could sleep in if he wants to. 

But Iori doesn’t believe in wasting time. Besides, he has plans for today. 

When he walks into the kitchen, he could already see his brother’s familiar figure standing in front of the stove. Mitsuki is humming to himself, oblivious to Iori’s presence. He looks content and relaxed, and Iori feels instantly better. He knows the day is off on a good start.

“Good morning, Nii-san,” he greets.

Mitsuki stops humming, glancing over his shoulder to look at him. He breaks into a smile. “Iori, you’re up early. Good morning.”

“Do you need help?” 

There are multiple containers sitting on top of the counter, each filled with different ingredients. Iori spies half a carrot placed on top of a chopping board, and quickly moves towards it. “I can cut the vegetables, if you’d like,” he adds.

“That would be great. Thanks, Iori.” 

They go about their work in comfortable silence, with the occasional humming from Mitsuki. The song he hums - initially a random tune that Iori does not recognize - eventually morphs into a new one. This time, Iori knows it, and he pauses his chopping.

This song…

“Do you remember, Iori?” asks Mitsuki, “I sang this song for my first audition.”

Of course, he knows. Years ago, that had been the song Mitsuki practiced singing for weeks. It had been a favorite of his, but after that first audition, Mitsuki rarely sings it anymore. Iori misses listening to it, now that he realizes how long it has been since he last did.

“It was in spring, wasn't it?” Iori asks in return, “The audition.”

“Mm. A beautiful day like this one.” Mitsuki smiles a little ruefully to himself. “It was also my first failure of the many, so you can imagine how hard it was for me to sing this song again, considering the memory it came with.”

Iori stares at the chopped vegetables in front of him wordlessly. That, he also knows. 

“But I figured,” Mitsuki continues, turning around and patting Iori on the shoulder so his little brother would look at him. When he does, Mitsuki gives him a small smile, “It’s such a good song, and it’s a shame for me not to enjoy it anymore. Besides, I didn’t give up after that audition, didn’t I?”

Iori smiles. “No, you didn’t. You’ve persevered and tried auditioning again barely two weeks later.”

Mitsuki laughs. “What can I say? I don’t give up that easily.” He gives a little hum. “I’m glad I didn’t.”

“Mm. Me too.”

Mitsuki grins at him, all teeth, before he turns back around. “Well, better finish preparing the food. We’ll be late if we don’t.”

Iori nods, and continues chopping the vegetables. As he does, he remembers another memory of the first day of spring many years ago - after coming home from his first audition, his older brother did not cry. The first thing he did was to walk into the kitchen, and started cooking.

The meal he prepared had been simple but delicious - something Iori remembers fondly until today - but Iori also remembers the strange feeling when he ate the meal alongside his brother, who mentioned nothing about the outcome of his audition.

The food, as delicious as it was, almost felt as if it was to comfort Mitsuki himself.

Yamato lies in bed, despite having woken up for nearly an hour now. His eyes are closed as he listens to the sounds of the kitchens. The walls in the dorm are rather thin, so he can hear mumbled parts of the conversation Iori and Mitsuki are having. 

“Heh… so today has a special meaning to Mitsu, huh?” he says to himself.

He himself doesn’t have that many special memories of spring - not one that he remembers vividly anyway. Well, except for one.

His first spring as a high school student. That was many years ago, but it stands out stubbornly at the back of his mind. 

The memory of his mother standing at the genkan, watching him crouching down to tie his shoelaces. There was a smile on her face, but Yamato remembers it being tired-looking, like she wasn’t getting enough sleep the night before. It was funny, because if anyone was sleepless, it should be him.

“You didn’t forget anything, Yamato?” she asked.

Yamato didn’t quite look at her in the eyes when he glanced at her from over his shoulders. “No, Mom,” he replied. The tone of his voice was polite, but incredibly distant. He remembers the shift in his mother’s expression when she heard it. The slight crumbling of her already brittle smile.

“Well, I better get going now,” said Yamato as he rose to his feet.

“Yamato.”

He paused at the doorway. He didn’t look at her this time.

“Yes, Mom?”

There was a soft intake of breath. “You know I’m proud of you, right?” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Yamato remembers the clench of his fists at his side. When he turned to look at her, there was a smile on his face this time, one he tried to make it seem as genuine as possible. It was the least he could do - after all, it wasn’t his mother he was angry at. 

“I know,” he replied, “I’ll be back soon, Mom.”

As he walked to school, he told himself repeatedly - it wasn’t his mother he was angry at. At least she was there to send him off to his first day of high school. It was never his mother he was angry at.

It was his father. 

There is a knock on the door, snapping him out of his reverie.

“Yamato-san?” Mitsuki’s voice drifts in, “Are you awake, old man?”

“No, I’m still in dreamland,” Yamato answers back dryly.

“Come help me with some things after you’re done getting ready,” Mitsuki replies, unperturbed. “It’s the first day of spring and the sakura is in full bloom today, which is rare. We should spend the day well.”

The corners of Yamato’s lips lift. He looks outside his window, and sure enough, he sees splashes of pink and white on the trees outside their dorm. 

It reminds him greatly of the spring many years ago, yet this time, the memory doesn’t hold as much bitterness as last time.

“I’ll be there soon, Mitsu,” he finally answers.

Waking up Tamaki has always been a challenge, since the teenager sleeps like the dead. But to Osaka Sougo, no task proves to be too daunting for him. Today, he thinks with determination, he will wake up Tamaki on time. 

It’s one of the few days MEZZO” shares the same day-off with the rest of IDOLiSH7, and he was not about to allow Tamaki to waste it by sleeping the day away.

So, when he finds Tamaki’s room empty, he is surprised. When he finds the boy sitting on the living room sofa with headphones on, clearly awake, he is even more surprised.

“Oh. Sou-chan. Morning,” Tamaki greets him lazily when he sees him approach. He takes off his headphones, hooking it around his neck. He pats the empty spot beside him. Sougo accepts the unspoken invitation and sits beside him. In the distant, he can hear Mitsuki and Iori chattering in the kitchen, their voices mingling with the sounds of boiling water and oil. 

“You’re up early today,” Sougo notes, not even bothering to hide the surprise in his tone.

“I fell asleep early last night while doing my reading homework, and couldn’t fall back asleep when I woke up.” Tamaki looks displeased by this, running a hand through his hair. “Heh, I surprised you, didn’t I?”

Sougo smiles. “It can’t be helped. I’m proud of you, actually. I was prepared to drag you out of bed.”

Tamaki makes a face. “Then, I’m glad I woke up early before you could.” He takes his headphones, offering it to Sougo, who looks at it with mild confusion. “Wanna listen?”

“What song are you listening to?”

“Mm. One of the those you recommended to me. Your uncle’s old songs. You sent the files to my phone the other day, didn’t you?”

Sougo’s gaze softens. “I didn’t think you’d actually listen to them.”

“They’re songs that are precious to Sou-chan. Of course I will.” Tamaki says this as if it is the most obvious thing in the world. 

The corners of Sougo’s eyes curve upwards. He accepts the headphones and places them over his head. Tamaki waits until he has properly adjusted it, before he hits the play button on his phone. There is half a second of silence.

Then, a familiar melody drifts into his ears.

Ah, this song -

“Uncle wrote this song in spring,” whispers Sougo. 

To be more specific, he wrote the song on the spring just before his untimely death. This song stands out the most in Sougo’s memory because of this, and it’s one of the songs he listened to faithfully every year on his uncle’s death anniversary.

An ode to his first love - the song had been written in hopes to convey these feelings. Sougo had been too young to understand what he meant, then, but as the years pass by, he wondered who this special person was that captured his uncle’s heart so much that he wrote a song for them. 

It is a song filled with both melancholy and hope; a combination of emotions which shouldn’t work but it does, and on some days, it overwhelms Sougo.

Today isn’t one of those days. Instead, it merely fills Sougo with a sense of nostalgia. That’s right - on a beautiful spring day like this one, his uncle had played him this song. 

“I like this song the most,” says Tamaki, “It reminds me of Aya.” 

Sougo turns to him in surprise. “How so?”

Tamaki shrugs. “Dunno how to explain it...but it reminds me of the spring when Aya got adopted for the first time.”

“Tamaki-kun…”

“It’s not a sad memory or anything,” Tamaki quickly reassures, “In fact, I think I was happy that day. You know how my old man left us at the community childcare centre after our mom died, right?”

Sougo nods mutely.

“Ever since that day, I wanted a proper family - not for myself, because I was fine without one. I wanted one for Aya, so she can grow up in a normal, happy, loving environment, ya know?” Tamaki leans back against the couch, putting his arms on the backrest. “The day she got adopted was probably one of the happiest days of my life. It wasn’t that bas - that man Kujou,” he adds, wrinkling his nose at the mere mention of Aya’s current adoptive father. “So, yeah. I was happy. Sure, the separation was sad, but I was glad for her. She found a home.”

He turns to Sougo. “That song reminds me of that day. Especially these lyrics.” He starts humming a familiar tune - the chorus of the song, which coincidentally, starts drifting out from the headphone speakers. 

_ “For today we may say goodbye, but I hope at least the memory of my love for you stays forever,” _ he sings, before smiling softly. “Heh. I just really like that part. If I could see Aya right now, I’d sing this song for her.”

“Singing a love song to your sister is hardly appropriate,” Sougo says with a laugh.

“Why not? Love isn’t just romantic,” Tamaki argues, “I thought love means a lot of things. I bet when your uncle wrote this, he wasn’t aiming it to be solely romantic.”

Sougo blinks, his mind processing Tamaki’s words. The song playing into his ears is reaching the bridge now, and the lyrics echo in his mind.

_ I cannot give you the world, so I hope to be able to give you happiness for as long as I am able to.  _

“You should be true to yourself,” his uncle had once said to him, during the first time he sang this song to him, “It’s fine to make people happy, but first, you should listen to what your heart wants.”

Sougo clutches the material of his shirt, smiling softly to himself.

“Hm,” he murmurs, “You might be right.”

Tamaki grins, pleased. 

“Osaka-san, Yotsuba-san,” Iori greets, walking into the living room. He has his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and a plain apron around his waist. “Good morning.”

“Mornin’, Iorin.”

“Good morning, Iori-kun.”

“If you’re not busy, could you help Nii-san and I in the kitchen?” Iori asks, “We can prepare faster that way.”

Sougo and Tamaki share a glance. Then, Sougo turns to Iori, nodding. There is an amiable smile on his face.

“We’ll be glad to, Iori-kun.”

He wakes up to the sound of Magical Girl Kokona singing into his ear.

Well, more accurately, through the speakers of his phone, but details, details. It’s the same thing. He doesn’t turn the alarm off - instead, he waits for Kokona to finish her song, humming along until the last note hangs in the air.

The song begins its second loop; this time, Nagi finally hits the dismiss button.

He lies on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He lists off the plans for today - he doesn’t have any schedules...ah right, today is the group’s off day. He sits up on the mattress, a radiant smile playing on his lips. Oh, how he loves off-days! Especially if it’s for the entire group instead of only certain members at a time.

He swings his legs off the bed, shivering a little when they hit the cold floor. Light is peeking from the blinds, and he stands up to walk towards it. He pulls the binds up, and is instantly greeted by splashes of pink and white.

It’s the first day of spring, and as if the heavens is granting him a miracle, the flowers are already in bloom. It’s fate, he thinks. The Gods want to reward him and his friends by providing them with a beautiful view on the one day they could actually enjoy it together.

There is, of course, another reason as to why he loves spring.

A lone sakura petal flutters in the breeze before landing on his cheek. He picks it up, looking at it with a fond but faraway gaze.

“A sakura,” he breathes out, “....Haruki.”

It’s been a long while since he had last seen him. He wonders how is he. Nagi has no way to contact him, so he’s left with only being able to wish and hope for the best. This season, which has flowers with the same namesake as possibly the first real friend he has, brings forth both happiness and nostalgia tinged with melancholy. 

He misses him. Sakura Haruki. He wants to see him. 

He closes his eyes, smiling softly to himself.

“Haruki, I wonder if you’ll be proud of me if you knew,” he says, “I have made more precious friends now. I’m not as...lonely as before.” He feels tears burn at the back of his eyes and quickly raises his hand to wipe them away. “I hope I can introduce them to you, Haruki. And hear us sing your songs.” 

He looks at the sakura petal in his hand again. 

Perhaps, by the time spring passes, they’ll meet again.

There is a knock on the door.

“Nagi?” Yamato’s voice drifts in. “Are you awake? I heard your alarm.”

“Oh. Yamato.” Nagi walks over to the door, twisting the knob. When he pulls the door open, he sees Yamato leaning against the wall opposite his room. He’s still in his comfortable night clothes - aka his old worn-out sweatpants and a grey shirt with a hole on one of its sleeves - but his face looks refreshed, and his gaze seems considerably awake.

“Ah, mornin’,” greets Yamato, “It’s good that you’re awake. Mitsu wants us all to help in the kitchen. Or some other chores before we leave. Come on.”

Nagi beams, instantly reminded of why he looks forward to today.

“Okay!” he replies happily.

“Mm...omurice….”

“Having a nice dream, Nanase-san?” Iori asks, fondness seeping into his tone. 

Riku blearily opens his eyes to see Iori’s amused expression looking at him. He blinks away the sleep, before slowly getting into a sitting position, stretching his limbs. “Iori..?” He yawns once. “Mm. Good morning.”

“Good morning, Nanase-san,” Iori greets, “Your door is unlocked so I let myself in. I’m sorry.”

“Hm? Oh, it’s okay. Mitsuki must have asked you to wake me up, right?”

Iori nods an affirmative. “It’s rare for you to sleep in. You’re usually one of the first few ones up.”

Riku laughs sheepishly. “I stayed up late watching movies. I was so excited for today I couldn’t sleep!”

Iori makes a displeased sound. “You shouldn’t make that a habit, Nanase-san. Next time, if you can’t sleep, you could have asked me to make tea for you.”

Riku beams. “That’s nice of you to offer, Iori, but I’m fine.” He stretches some more before finally getting off his bed. He walks over to his window and pulls the curtains open. His eyes shine with awe and excitement as soon as he sees the view outside.

“Wah! The flowers are blooming so early this year! How rare,” he marvels. He turns back towards Iori with a huge smile. “Isn’t it amazing, Iori?” 

“Mm,” Iori agrees with a nod, “It is.”

“I love spring,” says Riku, “Brings so much memories. Hey, Iori, did you know?”

“Know what, Nanase-san?”

Riku leans back against the wall, closing his eyes as he recalls back a memory. “When I was younger, I used to get really sick during the beginning of spring. I wouldn’t stop coughing and the air was just overall bad for my lungs.”

Iori frowns. “That would be because of the pollens, wouldn’t it?”

Riku nods. “That’s why I couldn’t go sakura watching with my family a lot. I used to cry about it because I really wanted to see the flowers up close but my parents would be really strict about it. Tenn-nii was undoubtedly the strictest,” he says with a laugh, “Over the years my tantrums would decrease but I still get sad whenever I couldn’t go out.”

His smile turns soft. “Tenn-nii must have felt bad about it at one point, so once, he cut off a branch with sakura flowers on it and showed it to me. It wasn’t much, but it meant a lot to me back then. Of course, he got scolded by my parents afterwards.” He says the last part with a fond giggle. Iori couldn’t help but smile - Riku’s laugh is infectious. 

“You’re okay now, I assume?” Iori asks.

“Hm?”

“To go flower-viewing.”

Riku beams and nods enthusiastically. “Mmph! I’m fine now! Hehe. That’s why I’ve been looking forward to this day all week.”

“Then, you should get ready. We’ll be leaving pretty soon. I think Manager is on her way here as we speak,” says Iori, already turning back towards the door.

“Okay!”

After Iori leaves, Riku turns back to look at the sakura blooming outside his window once more. His smile is soft as the memory returns - the one of his older twin brother placing a tree branch into his hand during one hospital visit. Tenn had scratches on his hands - no doubt from trying to get the sakura branch. Despite them, Tenn had looked pleased with himself, especially since Riku smiled so wide as soon as he saw the sakura flowers up close.

Riku clasps his hands together, head ducked as if in a prayer.

“Tenn-nii, I hope one day when we’re both free, we can finally go flower-viewing together,” he says.

Riku wishes in earnest for that day to come soon.

The doorbell rings.

“That must be Manager!” Riku exclaims, “I’ll get it!”

He rushes to the genkan and opens the door. Sure enough, Tsumugi stands at the entryway, dressed prettily in a blue frilly dress. Her hair is down today, but there are ribbons neatly holding the little braids in her hair. She beams at him, her cheeks rosy from the chill.

“Riku-san, good morning!” she greets, “Is everyone ready to go?”

Riku nods. “Mmph! Mitsuki and Iori just finished preparing the last bento box. Do you want me to gather everyone?”

“Yes, please! I’ll be counting on you.”

The rest of the members waste no time in gathering at the entryway, already slipping on their shoes and coats. The younger members were in charge of carrying bento boxes and picnic baskets - Tamaki somehow managing to balance three bento boxes on one hand while carrying a basket in the other, earning both Iori’s and Sougo’s worry - while the rest help load heavier things into the van.

“Oh? You’re bringing your guitar along, Sou?” Yamato asks, noting the black guitar case slung on Sougo’s shoulders.

“Ah, um, yes. It’s been a while since I played it. I didn’t want to get out of practice,” Sougo replies.

Yamato smiles indulgently. “I’ve never heard you play. I’ll look forward to a performance then.”

Sougo flushes. “I-I’ll do my best.”

“Shall we get going?” Tsumugi asks once the last thing has been loaded into the van.

The members exchange looks.

“Yes!” they chorus.

“What are you looking at, Nanase-san?”

Riku turns towards Iori with a smile. “The flowers are really pretty this year,” he marvels, “I’m glad we could gather today.”

Iori returns the smile. “Me too. It’s a beautiful day.”

Above them, the sakura flowers are in full bloom, with some fluttering in the wind or falling onto the ground. Some manage to land on Iori’s hair, forming something like a flower crown on his head. Riku throws his head back and laughs at the sight, while Iori sputters in embarrassment but not making any move to brush the flowers off.

Sitting on a picnic blanket underneath a huge tree, IDOLiSH7 gather in a circle around a pile of food. Mitsuki and Yamato clank their beer cans together before taking a big sip while Nagi stands up excitedly to tell his friends a story from his childhood. Beside them, Sougo strums on his guitar, humming a tune that no one recognizes but somehow knows its importance to Sougo. Tamaki, with rice stuck to his chin, stands up and twirls around to the melody, making an impromptu choreography.

“Riku-san, you look like you’re enjoying yourself,” Tsumugi says, a steaming cup of tea in her hands.

Riku nods. “Mmph! I’m having fun.” He looks up at the flowers above him. “I’m glad that we could enjoy spring together like this.”

Tsumugi smiles softly. “As do I, Riku-san.”

Spring means differently to each of them, and some memories many not be as sweet as the others, but now, spring brings them together. Riku takes a deep breath, and for once, the chilly air doesn’t hurt his lungs.

He’s glad. And he could not be more happier. 

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos/comments/bookmarks are appreciated and you can find me on Twitter at @tennssi0907 !


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